It may seem with all the bad weather that this year’s winter will never end, but signs of spring are already bursting up across the county – earlier than expected.

In fact, one visitor who would normally turn up at springtime just couldn’t wait until then to see the Oxfordshire countryside.

At Farmer Gow’s Farm in Longcot, near Faringdon, a lamb has arrived more than two weeks before schedule.

Farmer Ann Gow, 50, said: “She’s very sweet. The lamb is already bouncing around.

“We were expecting the ewe to have her lamb at the earliest on February 16, but she’s obviously a quick mum.”

Farmer Gow found the lamb with its mum while on her rounds on Sunday afternoon at around 4pm, and Ann estimated it had been there for about 15 minutes.

She said: “It was a lovely surprise for me, but quite a shock to the staff.”

And she’s not the only sign spring has sprung.

Farmer Gow said: “Our grass is starting to grow and that is definitely a sign that spring is on its way.”